Inner Strength
by Caz Malfoy
Summary: Megan discovers her inner strength at a price...
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **Inner Strength  
**Chapter: **1/?  
**Pairing: **Don/Megan  
**Rating: **FRMA  
**Warning: **Mentions of Rape  
**Summary: **Megan discovers her inner strength at a price...  
**Category: **AU, High School Fic.

x

The bell buzzed loudly, echoing through the silent classrooms, seconds before the pupils erupted with a roar of elation as they stuffed books in backpacks and made plans to meet up before the biggest party of the year.

Don Eppes was one of the few students who remained silent as he packed away his school things and made his way out of the classroom, ignoring the calls of his best friend telling him to wait.

The group of people parted in front of him as though he were Moses parting the Red Sea, not the captain of the baseball team going to meet his cheerleader girlfriend. Megan Reeves' history class was on the opposite side of the school to his English class and it took Don a while to get there, having to double back once to avoid the construction work on the third floor.

He could see Megan waiting from the end of the corridor and he smiled to himself as his brown eyes ran from the top of her head, down her sculptured body and toned legs to her sneaker clad feet. She really was beautiful and Don knew he was lucky to go out with her when dozens of guys, both jocks and geeks, would kill to take her on just one single date.

As Don got closer his eyes narrowed in annoyance when he saw the curly haired boy standing next to his girlfriend. His younger brother should be in junior high, far away from Don and his friends; not in high school and the same classes as Don. Megan was talking to Charlie and both were laughing animatedly.

"Hey!" Megan greeted, looking up and spotting her boyfriend heading towards them, with a sour look on his face. She leant up and pressed a kiss on his cheek as his arm slid around her waist.

Charlie shifted nervously. "Hey, Don," he whispered at the ground, his happy demeanour vanishing instantly at his big brother's appearance. "Could you give me a ride home?"

Don scowled, his eyes narrowing in annoyance at being his brother's free personal taxi. "Can't bro, we're going to a party tonight. Meg's gotta get changed at her house first."

Charlie looked crestfallen and Megan shook her head. "No, Don, it's okay. I've brought a change of clothes in my gym bag; I can get changed at your house. We can give Charlie a ride." She flashed a smile at the younger boy who blushed bashfully.

Don glared at his girlfriend as they made their way through the building down to the parking lot. Megan knew how much he detested Charlie hanging around with him, yet still seemed to invite him along at every given opportunity. She had already been instructed not to invite him along to the party that night.

Charlie had barely closed the car door when Don put his foot down and sped out of the parking lot, heading towards their craftsman house. Their father's car was in the driveway as Don pulled up to the kerb, but their mother's was nowhere in sight; she was probably at the market or something.

Megan eyed the baseball player as he shut off the engine and climbed out of the car, he hadn't said one word to Charlie for the entire ride. In fact he had spent the entire journey blatantly ignoring and pretending the younger Eppes wasn't in the car.

Alan was exiting the kitchen, carrying a steaming bowl of soup as Don pushed the door open allowing the trio to enter the house. "Hey boys… Megan," he greeted, sliding into a chair at the dining table.

Don nodded his head in greeting, dropping his backpack on the floor next to the door and toeing his sneakers off.

Megan grinned and placed her gym bag and backpack next to Don's on the floor. "Hey, Mr Epees," she greeted. "Something smells good."

The Eppes patriarch grinned and dipped his spoon in the bowl. "French Onion," he advised her, blowing on the steaming liquid a little. "There's some on the stove and you know where the rolls are."

Megan grinned and thanked him as she headed into the kitchen to help herself to some delicious soup.

Don rolled his eyes and muttered something about going to get changed before heading up the stairs to his room. He had showered after gym class so didn't bother to take another; instead he pulled his closet open and studied the contents for a moment.

When he headed back downstairs, wearing a dark T-shirt and equally dark jeans, he groaned when he saw Megan sitting at the table next to Charlie. Books were strewn across the tabletop and Charlie was babbling about something that Don knew he had no hope in understanding.

Alan noticed his eldest son before anyone else and crossed the room. "You know, Donnie, your girlfriend spends more time with your brother than you do."

Don sighed and rolled his eyes in annoyance, he was fed-up of having to listen to his parents nag him about how little time he spent with the annoyance that was Charles Eppes. "Yeah, well… Meg likes him for some reason. She should be glad she doesn't have to live with him."

Megan looked up when she heard Don's voice and an appreciative smile graced her face as her eyes ran up and down the length of his body, admiring the sight of him in dark colours. "Sorry, Charlie but I'm going to have to get changed now." She ruffled his curly hair a little as she got up.

Charlie nodded his head understandingly, not caring that she was leaving; he was just happy someone Don's age liked spending time with him, even if Don didn't.

She squeezed Don's arm as she grabbed her gym bag and headed up to his room to get changed into her outfit for the party.

With a sigh, Don stalked past the table, almost knocking over various books of his brothers as he passed. Charlie let out an indignant, "Hey!" but Don ignored him as he headed into the sitting room to wait for Megan.

She returned a short while later wearing a mid-thigh length black skirt and a royal blue sequinned top. Don had seen the outfit before and knew that the back of the shirt was missing completely. A fact Megan had been clever enough to cover with a thin black jacket while they were still at home.

Charlie's eyes followed her every movement as she descended the stairs; making no effort to hide the fact that he was watching her. Don noticed his actions and this time as he passed he made sure he elbowed the young genius in the back of his head, making him look away in a hurry.

Margaret exited the kitchen as Don threw on his leather jacket and grabbed his wallet and keys from the sideboard. "You look beautiful, Megan," she complimented, replacing the dead flowers on the table with a fresh vase.

Megan blushed and smoothed her long hair down. "Thanks, Mrs Eppes," she whispered, handing Don her gym bag as he opened the door.

"We're leaving now!" Don shouted to his dad who had disappeared into the sunroom.

"Don, don't forget we won't be here when you get back. We're spending the night at your Uncle Tommy's. The number is on the refrigerator in case you need it!" Margaret called after her son.

All she got in response was a wave of his hand as he headed outside and put the bag in the trunk of the car.

Megan paused in the doorway, turning back to the youngest Eppes. "Charlie?" The curly haired boy looked up expectantly. "You'll have to let me know what result you get from those figures."

Charlie beamed and blushed to the roots of his hair as she exited the house, closing the door behind her.

Don was leaning against the black car as Megan hurried her way down the drive. She rolled her eyes when she saw him scowling at her. "Don't look like that," she soothed, putting a hand on his cheek before climbing into the car.

He followed her example and started the engine. "You know he likes you," he commented, pulling out of the driveway. "Every time you speak he hangs on your every word. All he talks about is Math and you."

Megan laughed and shrugged her jacket off now she was away from his parents. "That's funny… every time we speak all he talks about is Math and you," she countered.

Don snorted with laughter and shook his head. "Yeah, right," he muttered darkly.

"He idolises you, Don," she insisted, reaching back and placing her jacket on the back seat. "Even though he knows you hate him." She shifted in her seat, trying to get comfortable.

Don glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and swallowed thickly when he noticed that her skirt had drifted up dangerously high on her thigh. "Listen, I was thinking…" He pulled up to the front of the large house, which was serving as the venue for the party.

"What do you say we forget the party and have a little fun of our own?" he suggested, turning in his seat slightly, his brown eyes twinkling, his hand sliding up her thigh to the hem of her skirt.

The corners of Megan's mouth turned up in a smile and she leant over, pressing her lips against her boyfriend's softly. "As tempting as that sounds, I don't think it's such a good idea." The kiss deepened and Don tried pushing the fabric even higher, but stopped when he felt her hand on his.

"It's a party celebrating the baseball team's victory. You kinda have to show your face, being captain of the team and all."

Don groaned and pressed their foreheads together. "I hate when you're right," he muttered, looking into her green eyes.

Megan grinned and kissed him lightly. "I don't."

x

The party was being hosted by Billy Cooper, a fellow member of Don's baseball team and one of his best friends. The large manor house was overflowing with people by the time Megan and Don arrived and it was almost impossible to get in the front door.

"Coop!" Don cried over the din of music pounding from the stereo.

Billy turned and grinned when he saw the couple weaving through the throng toward them. "Eppes!" he greeted, clapping the captain on the back. "Reeves, you look very hot tonight."

Megan rolled her eyes and hugged him in greeting. She laughed when she felt Don wrap an around her waist, pulling her closer protectively. "Sorry, Coop. Looks like Donnie gets jealous."

"Damn straight I do," he muttered, kissing her cheek before heading over to the bar to get them both drinks.

Megan glanced around the room and grinned when she saw her own friends near the fireplace, talking between themselves.

"Don!" Colby called from the opposite end of the room, standing on his toes to see over the crowd.

A few hands gestures and confused looks later, Don turned back to Megan with an apologetic smile on his face. Before he could say anything, she kissed him on the lips. "Go," she urged. "I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself. Besides, Liz and Amita are over there."

Don flashed her a bright smile and assured her he'd keep reappearing with drinks at regular intervals, seconds before Coop grabbed his arm and dragged him towards Colby.

x

The gang of people in the house was thinner several hours later; most of Coop's guests had moved to the backyard to watch the band Billy had booked. Amita, Megan and Liz decided against it, opting to stay inside and talk with each other now they could actually move without banging into someone else.

True to his word, Don had appeared regularly or so carrying a fresh drink for her. Pausing to make out with her, before returning to whatever he had been doing with his friends.

Megan laughed and took a long drink from the cup in her hand. "God, it's warm in here," she breathed, fanning a hand in front of her face.

Amita and Liz exchanged confused looks. Megan barely had anything on and was complaining about the heat, yet they were wearing turtleneck sweaters and were fine. "Are you feeling okay?" Amita asked quietly. "You look a bit flushed."

Megan nodded her head, waving her hand dismissively as she drank the remainder of her drink. "I'm fine," she assured them. "Just need some fresh air. I'm going outside for a few minutes."

She stood up and swayed dangerously on her feet, making Liz reach out a hand to steady her. "You're drunk," she stated.

Megan laughed and shook her head, her hair swaying with her movements. "You know it takes more than a couple of beers to get me drunk. I'll see you guys in a minute."

Outside the night was cool and she shivered, wishing she hadn't left her jacket in Don's car. Her head was pounding, blood rushing in her ears as it rushed to her brain. She sighed and leant back against the wall, not knowing what was wrong with her. Her alcohol tolerance was exceptionally high and Don hadn't brought her that many drinks so she shouldn't be feeling like she did.

Taking several deep breaths she pushed herself off the wall, intent on going to find Don so she could sit in his car for a little while until she felt better.

Suddenly the world began to spin and the only thing Megan could do to help herself was hold her hands out in front of her so she didn't hit her head on the garden path when she passed out.

x

Don grinned and watched as Colby tossed his head back and downed the vodka in his shot glass. He had just arrived at the drinking contest but, judging by the number of empty shot glasses in front of the wrestler, he would guess that Colby was winning.

Colby grimaced and wiped the back of his hand across his mouth, his hazel eyes silently challenging his opponent Ben to take another drink. When Ben shook his head and turned his shot glass over, signalling defeat, the large crowd gathered around them whooped in joy and victory.

"I think I'm gonna barf," Colby groaned, getting to his feet and almost landing on Don.

The baseball player groaned and tried to support Colby weight. Even with the help of David, the other teenager was not an easy weight to shift. "Not on me you're not." He glanced at David and suggested taking him around the front to their cars.

Getting to the front of the house was almost as difficult as it had been to get in when they first arrived. "What's going on?" David asked as they manoeuvred their way through the mass of people.

Don shrugged his shoulders as best as he could when he was carrying Colby's dead weight. His brown eyes widened when he saw an ambulance pull away from the house, it's lights flashing and the sirens howling. In the blink of an eye Liz came running up to Don and said something so fast he had no hope of understanding her.

After being instructed, Liz took a breath before repeating what she had just said. "Megan's been attacked."

x

The ride to the hospital was unbearable. Don was the only one able to drive; the shock of his girlfriend being attacked had sobered him up rapidly. David sat in the back with Colby, whose skin had a strange green tint to it. They had been fifteen miles from the hospital when he had to pull over so the wrestler could jump out and decorate the side of the road with his stomach contents.

Don had almost tore the head off the poor receptionist who asked whom they were visiting. He was all for jumping over the front desk and pounding her to a bloody pulp until she told them where Megan was, until David grabbed his arm and dragged him back as Liz diplomatically asked where her best friend was.

The room was empty and dark when Don slipped inside alone, having asked for a few moments alone with his girlfriend before she was bombarded with questions and 'get-well' wishes. It was a private room and the thin curtains were half covering the window, allowing only a thin sliver of silver moonlight to illuminate the room.

He could see the outline of Megan's prone figure lying on the bed, apparently resting after a traumatic night. Slowly he reached out and brushed a hand over the side of her face, closing his eyes sadly.

The instant their skin connected a hand flew up and grabbed his wrist tightly, painfully cutting off circulation to his hand. "Meg!" he gasped, reaching with his free hand to turn on the light. "It's me."

Megan's confused green eyes studied him for a long moment before she reluctantly released his arm. Don couldn't believe how pale the cheerleader looked; ashen against the stark hospital sheets. She licked her lips and grimaced when she felt how dry they were. "What time is it?" she croaked.

"Three am," he replied softly, pulling the chair close to the bed and sliding into it. "Meg, what happened?" he whispered.

The young girl opened her mouth to respond, but before she could say anything, the door flew open and a burly police officer burst in. "Are you Don Eppes?" he grunted.

Don replied the affirmative and was roughly pulled from his seat, spun around and pushed against the curtained glass wall. "What the hell?" he cried as he was quickly checked for weapons.

His hands were pulled behind his back and he felt the cool steel of handcuffs against his wrists. "Mr Eppes, you're under arrest for the rape of Megan Reeves."

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: **Inner Strength  
**Chapter: 2**/?  
**Pairing: **Don/Megan  
**Rating: **FRMA  
**Warning: **Mentions of Rape  
**Summary: **Megan discovers her inner strength at a price...  
**Category: **AU, High School Fic.

x

Megan remained silent as Don was dragged from the room with a bewildered look on his face. The officer's last five words echoed in her head, until the only thing she could hear was blood rushing in her ears. _The rape of Megan Reeves._

She blinked when someone stepped into her peripheral vision and she hastily wiped away the tears she felt on her cheeks. "Ami?" she whispered, turning her head to look at her older sister. "What's happening?"

"You were attacked, Megan," she whispered, running a hand through her hair and settling down in the chair next to her sister. "Outside Billy's house."

Megan bit her lip, frowning as she tried to remember anything she could about the party. "I… I don't get it. The last thing I remember is going outside to get some fresh air because I was feeling dizzy."

Ami's eyes drifted away for a moment before her gaze returned to Megan's face, which had been grazed in her fall. "The Detective's said that your drink was spiked with some kind of date-rape drug. And everyone at the party said Don kept giving you drinks."

"That means nothing!" Megan couldn't help the volume of her voice increasing. "Someone could have slipped something into the drink as he passed them."

Ami sighed, partly with annoyance and regret as she heard the desperation to believe in the cheerleader's voice. "Amita and Liz said he wouldn't leave you alone all night; That every time he reappeared, he would try to get you to go up to one of Cooper's spare rooms with him…"

Megan flushed with embarrassment for a moment, hearing those words from her older sister, before she became furious at Amita and Liz for fuelling such ridiculous allegations. "That means nothing! He's my boyfriend, Ami! Of course he's going to try get with me; God, I do it to him all the time."

The elder Reeves got up from her seat and began pacing the room, her hands in her pockets as she tried to stop herself from strangling her younger sister.

"Look, Meg," she began, taking a deep breath as she turned to face her. "David was outside earlier and he said Don was with them at Colby's drinking contest…"

"Ha, see! That's his alibi right there."

"But only for Colby's last drink and that was minutes before the ambulance left Billy's. No one knows where he was before that." Megan remained silent; the words hitting her like each one was a concrete slab. "You were unconscious, how can you know for certain he didn't do this to you?"

x

The fluorescent light above his head was giving him headache. He stopped pacing the small five by five cell, realising his constant moving couldn't be helping his migraine. He couldn't believe this was happening to him. The police had taken him to the station where he had been booked, had his fingerprints, photo and DNA taken, before being led into interrogation.

His mother and father had returned from their night at his Uncle Tommy's to find a message from the police on their answering machine, advising them that their eldest son was in custody and was facing date-rape charges. They had arrived a short while later and before Don knew it, he was subjected to round after round of tag team questioning by Detective's Alexander and Rawlings.

That had been five hours ago and, after determining that Don's story was not going to change, they had decided to throw him in a tiny cell as they waited for results of the DNA test. Don had no idea how long the results would take but when he had been given a tray with some grey substance the guard had called food, he had a feeling he would be there for a long time.

With a groan, he fell against the wall and slid down to the ground, resting his elbows on his knees and resting his head in his hands. He was exhausted and his body was screaming at him to get some sleep but he knew his mind would not shut down long enough for him to get some sleep.

The same phrases kept repeating in his mind as he thought about his girlfriend and the police. Megan had been raped. The police thought he had something to do with it.

To his right, a door opened and someone entered the room. He didn't look up, knowing it would be the guard with something else masquerading as food. "Donnie?" a familiar voice whispered so quietly he could barely hear it.

Don's head snapped up in surprise and he let out a breathy, "Megan?" as he jumped to his feet and ran to the bars she was leaning against. "What are you doing here? How did you get _in _here?"

Megan smiled bashfully. "The nurses were changing shifts so I slipped out." Her green eyes turned to the door for a moment. "Then I waited until the cop went to the bathroom and broke in," she admitted quietly. "Are you okay? They didn't do anything to you, did they?"

Don ran his hand over her cheek and smiled affectionately. "Typical, Megan. Still worrying about everyone except herself."

The teenager grinned and leant into the baseball player's touch. "Ami said that I couldn't trust that you didn't do this to me," she whispered, reaching through the bars and resting her hands on his hips. "That because I couldn't remember what happened to me, I had no way of knowing that you wouldn't do this."

Don remained silent, running a hand over her hair as she spoke. "I tried to explain to her that I know you, but no one would listen. That's why I had to get out of there, I couldn't stand to hear people talk about you like that."

He smiled and pulled her closer, pressing a soft kiss on her lips through the bars. "I love you, Meg," he whispered, tears forming in his brown eyes. "You know I would never do anything to you."

Megan smiled, lacing their fingers together and pressing her lips to the back of her hand. "I love you too. I told them you couldn't do anything like this."

The door behind them opened and both teenagers turned their gazes guiltily to the door. "Megan Reeves!" her mother chastised, running into the room and pulling her daughter into her arms. "You shouldn't be running around so soon. I arrived at the hospital and no one could find you. Did the doctors discharge you?"

Megan shook her head as she extracted herself from the elder Reeves' grip. Nettie's watched as Megan leant back against the bars separating the young couple.

"I came down here to be with Don," she whispered, covering his hands with hers as they wrapped around her waist.

Nettie turned to the police officer standing behind her. "Officer, why is this young man behind bars?" she demanded.

The officer shook his head. "I'm sorry, Mrs Reeves, but I'm not allowed to discuss ongoing cases."

"They've arrested him for raping me!" Megan cried.

Nettie took several steps towards the officer, raising herself to her full height of 5' 3" menacingly. "Listen to me, Officer…" she inspected his name tag, "Hammond, anyone who knows this young man, knows he would never disrespect my daughter. I want him released immediately."

"I'm sorry, ma'am," the officer shook his head, "but without the authorisation from the arresting officer or the DA that's not possible."

Nettie put her hands on her hips and tapped her foot impatiently. "Then I suggest you bring them down here now."

x

Being back after almost a whole day in prison, almost made Don wish that the DA had been able to prove that he _had _raped Megan. The instant he had arrived home, his mother had started fussing over him; getting him to shower and change before trying to force as much food down his throat as possible.

Thankfully his father had coped with his oldest son's stint in prison easier than his wife. Alan had stood in the entrance to the living room, watching as Don played Nintendo while he waited for his food to be ready, before heading into the kitchen to help Margaret.

Charlie on the other hand, seemed to think that he could single-handedly find the rapist and bring him to justice, using his math. Don had spent two hours being interrogated by the curly haired math genius, before Charlie distracted himself and began asking why Don had been cleared when most people were so adamant that he was guilty.

"The DA… District Attorney," Don explained, never taking his eyes off of _Donkey Kong_. "He refused to take it further because DNA didn't match and the lack physical evidence against me. Plus, Meg wouldn't testify because she's positive I didn't do it."

Charlie bit his lip, looking from the television screen to his brother's face from his position on the floor at Don's feet. "You didn't do it, right?" he whispered.

Don pressed pause and glared at his younger brother long enough for the thirteen-year-old to squirm in his seat, before resuming the game and refraining from answering Charlie's stupid question.

x

It was past midnight when Don left the bathroom, one towel wrapped securely around his waist and another hanging around his neck. He hadn't been able to sleep and thought that a shower would make him feel better, unfortunately it had done nothing but wake him up more.

Running the towel over his wet hair, he paused when he heard a light bang on the window. Slowly he crept over to the window and glanced down at the darkened garden below. He frowned when he saw the familiar figure of Megan looking up at him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked when he had crept downstairs and opened the door to let her in.

"I couldn't sleep," she whispered. "I left a note on the fridge so no one'll worry. I just went for a walk, had no idea I was going to arrive here…" She pouted and shook her head, "Sorry, I'm babbling."

Don laughed and pressed a kiss on her forehead, locking the door and moving back up the stairs, Megan following behind him. "I'm used to it," he replied, earning him a swat on the ass as they arrived at Don's bedroom.

Megan lay down on her boyfriend's bed, resting her head on his pillows as she watched him rid himself of the towel and pull on a pair of boxer shorts and a black T-shirt.

He turned around and smiled when he saw that she was fast asleep with one hand resting under the pillow and the other hand clutching the comforter. Pressing a soft kiss on her forehead, he covered her up and left the room, quietly closing the door behind him.

Don wanted to stay with her but knew that if his parents found them sleeping in the same bed together so soon after her attack, it wouldn't look good. Instead, he pulled a blanket out of the closet in the hallway and went to make up the couch.

The teenager had barely laid down when he heard footsteps padding down the stairs and entering the living room. "How long have you been awake?" Don asked quietly, moving so that she could sit next to him.

"Since you left the room," she admitted, resting her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes. "Can I stay down here with you?" she whispered, sliding her hand around his waist and closing her eyes.

Don was about to reply when he realised her breathing had evened out and she was asleep again.

TBC


End file.
